SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman catcher Riley Ludlam and UNCG left-hander Maddie Spell have been named the Southern Conference softball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for games from Feb. 13-19. The awards are selected by the league office.
Furman’s Ludlam hit .467 over five games as the Paladins went 2-3 against Clemson and during the Furman Invitational. On Valentine’s Day, Ludlam went 2-for-3 with a double as Furman fell 10-0 to the seventh-ranked Clemson Tigers. Three days later, the Paladins began the Furman Invitational with a 10-2 win in five innings over Sacred Heart as Ludlam was 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored in the contest. The Fort Myers, Florida, native went 1-for-4 with an RBI as Furman fell to Binghamton, 9-5, on Feb. 18. Later that day, Ludlam had a walk and a run scored in the Paladins 4-2 setback against Towson. In the weekend finale on Sunday, Ludlam went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI as Furman defeated Bellarmine 5-1. The senior had 22 putouts and two assists with zero errors on defense in the Paladins’ five games last week.
UNCG’s Spell won both of her starts over the weekend in the Spiro Classic in Greensboro, North Carolina. The redshirt sophomore from Lawrenceville, Georgia, pitched a complete game with a career-best seven strikeouts in the Spartans’ 8-0 win over Morehead State on Saturday. The next day, Spell tossed another complete game, throwing two strikeouts and allowing one unearned run as UNCG defeated UNCW, 9-1, in five innings. Spell allowed just eight hits and gave up zero walks in the two games combined.
Furman (3-4) travels to Gardner-Webb for a doubleheader on Tuesday before going to Mobile, Alabama, for the South Alabama Tournament on Friday through Sunday. The Paladins will take on Tulsa, Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech and host South Alabama over the weekend. UNCG (7-3) will host Campbell on Wednesday for one game before welcoming Connecticut, Delaware and Indiana for the UNCG Invitational on Friday through Sunday.
Other nominees for player of the week: Kaylee Higgins (ETSU), Rebeca Laudino (Mercer), Jorde Chartrand (UNCG), Grier Bruce (Samford) and Addy Keylon (Chattanooga)
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Brianna Bailey (ETSU), Lauralee Scott (Furman), Jordyn Partain (Samford) and Taylor Long (Chattanooga)
2023 SoCon Softball Players of the Week
Feb. 13 Delaney Cumbie, 5th, C, UNCG
Feb. 20 Riley Ludlam, Sr., C, Furman
2023 SoCon Softball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 13 Tessa Juett, So., Western Carolina
Feb. 20 Maddie Spell, R-So., UNCG